Ambassador Michael C. Polt to open the John Kingsbury Health Dispensary in Pranjani
On Monday, November 1st, U.S. Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro, Michael C. Polt, and Dr. Ljubisa Sumarac, Director of the Gornji Milanovac Health Center, will inaugurate the newly reconstructed John Kingsbury Health Dispensary, located in the village of Pranjani. Support for this project was provided by the people of the United States of America through the USAID-funded "Community Revitalization through Democratic Action" (CRDA) program, in partnership with the citizens of Gornji Milanovac.
John Kingsbury was an American Red Cross worker stationed in Pranjani during World War I. As a token of goodwill towards the people that he had worked and lived with during the war, Kingsbury returned to Pranjani in 1930 to construct a health center that would service the residents of Pranjani and its surrounding villages. After decades of neglect, however, and lack of investment, the building was abandoned and the staff relocated to other premises.
During a CRDA Town Hall meeting in 2003, the residents of Pranjani proposed the renovation of the John Kingsbury Dispensary as a priority project for the community. The CRDA rural Community Board for the village then determined the project was a high priority and was approved for USAID funding. A total of $66,912.98 was allocated to completely renovate the 208m2 dispensary, including interior and facade reconstruction, roofing, and a complete plumbing and electrical overhaul. New lab equipment was also procured to modernize the dispensary’s analytical capabilities.
Due to the initiative of the citizens of Gornji Milanovac and USAID funding, over 2,000 area residents will have improved access to health care services.
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